Rockford Attorney Manages the Legal Aspects of Adoption

Illinois lawyer focused on building families

Adopting a child brings happiness to families, but a biological parent’s change of heart or an immigration setback can turn a joyous occasion into a stressful ordeal. At Bugden Law Offices in Rockford, I have substantial experience handling the complex legal procedures and frustrating red tape of the adoption process for clients throughout Illinois. If you’re looking to add a child to your family, I’m ready to guide you through the process so you can focus on your new family member.

In my Rockford practice, I help clients with the following areas of adoption:

Termination of parental rights

Paternity registry

Open adoptions

Closed adoptions

Private adoptions

Domestic adoptions

International adoptions

Stepparent adoptions

As your family law attorney, I provide reliable counsel throughout the adoption process.

Careful approach to the termination of parental rights

Stories abound about birth parents challenging an adoption after it is finalized. These well-publicized news accounts reflect a real fear for adoptive parents. The suffering associated with a badly handled adoption affects everybody involved — the adoptive parents, the birth parents and the children who are caught in the middle. I ensure that both the birth and adoptive parents’ rights are respected so that the end result is a final adoption that cannot be challenged. I substantiate that the birth parents consent to the adoption freely and voluntarily to avoid claims of fraud, duress and coercion that can be grounds for restoring a birth parent’s rights.

Overcoming a biological father’s resistance to an adoption

The biological father has the same parental rights as the biological mother, especially if he is named in the state’s putative father registry and has provided support for the child. Fathers who are active in their children’s lives are generally opposed to adoption, whereas uninterested fathers are usually content to surrender parental rights voluntarily to be free from support obligations. When a father resists the idea of adoption, a court might terminate the father’s parental rights if the father is an unfit parent and severing the parent-child relationship is in the best interests of the child. I take all necessary steps to identify fathers and obtain their consent, or, when necessary and proper, litigate the matter of the father’s fitness.

Experience with various types of domestic adoption

An open adoption agreement permits the biological family to maintain a relationship with the child. The terms of the agreement are established by written contract and can include any level of involvement ranging from regular visits to yearly snapshots exchanged by mail. A closed adoption protects the identity of the biological parents and the child but may include disclosure of essential information such as the child’s heritage and medical history. Whichever type of adoption you choose, I meticulously draft a contract that reflects the terms of your adoption.

Capable assistance with international adoptions

International adoptions present unique challenges. Also called intercountry adoptions, the process involves a complex web of laws and policies, including those of Illinois, the United States, U.S. immigration, the child’s country of birth and the Hague Adoption Convention. I remain by your side through every step to avoid potential problems and smooth the process. My goal is to help you bring your child home as soon as legally possible.

Contact a skilled Illinois adoption attorney

Adoption has the potential to bring your family great joy, but only if you overcome legal impediments. At Bugden Law Offices in Rockford, Illinois, I provide dependable legal services for adoptions in Illinois. Call 815-520-5443 or contact my office online to schedule a consultation.

Practice Areas

Bugden Law Offices is located in Rockford, IL and serves clients in and around Machesney Park, South Beloit, Loves Park, Rockford, Rockton, Shirland, Winnebago, Roscoe, Cherry Valley, Durand and Winnebago County.

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